The Vice President of Nigerian Association of Master Mariners (NAMM), Capt. Emmanuel Omotayo, last week appealed to the Lagos State Government to give the association land to build a secretariat.
Omotayo said in Lagos last week that the absence of a secretariat was affecting the association’s humanitarian role in the training of sea cadets.
“The secretariat will be geared towards developing a training centre that will enable us to train sea cadets on a regular basis,” he said.
The Vice President of Nigerian Association of Master Mariners (NAMM), Capt. Emmanuel Omotayo, last week appealed to the Lagos State Government to give the association land to build a secretariat.
Omotayo said in Lagos last week that the absence of a secretariat was affecting the association’s humanitarian role in the training of sea cadets.
“The secretariat will be geared towards developing a training centre that will enable us to train sea cadets on a regular basis,” he said.
Omotayo said that paucity of fund had compelled the association to seek the benevolence of Lagos State Government towards building a secretariat.
“We cannot undertake the project alone. Our vision of an appropriate secretariat is one within the ranks of an elephant project.
“We wish for a piece of land either at Apapa, Lekki or Ikoyi to enable us in the training of sea cadets and also contribute our quota to the maritime industry’s advancement.
“We pray that Gov. Babatunde Fashola will consider our request favourably,“ he said.
He said that the association had only raised N35 million out of the projected N100 million for the secretariat.
Omotayo urged other stakeholders in the maritime industry to come to the association’s aid.
“If government is serious about supporting maritime development, we the other stakeholders cannot afford not to match government’s efforts.
“We, the seamen with experience and the retired ones will not allow this country to be short of sea farers for the maritime industry’s continuity,“ he said.
He added that the association was planning to have another fund raising ceremony towards the building of the secretariat.
“Another fundraiser is one of the things that we will decide on at our annual general meeting where new executives would be elected into office, “ Omotayo said.
“We have come of age to have a permanent secretariat”, concluded.
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